Israel Watchful Against Security Council Failure to Act Against Syria

August 28, 1963

JERUSALEM (Aug. 27)

Sources close to the Israel Foreign Ministry indicated today that Israel was determined to oppose any United Nations attempt to obscure the “central point” of Israel’s complaint to the Security Council of Syria’s guilt in the recent upsurge of attacks on Israel’s northern border.

Premier Levi Eshkol’s statement to Parliament yesterday was seen as an effort to impress on the Council Israel’s concern lest the UN key body limit itself to a routine appeal to “both sides.” Mr. Eshkol pointed to possible repercussions of such a stand on future Israeli response to future Syrian aggression. It was assumed that this was the principal subject of an hour-long meeting here yesterday between Mrs. Golda Meir, Israel’s Foreign Minister; and Maj. Gen. Odd Bull, chief of staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization.

United Nations observers today carried out a day-long survey of defense and demilitarized zones involved in the Syrian incidents, literally combing the area on the Israeli side. Accompanied by an Israeli liaison officer, the UN officials examined groves, fields, communal homes and even old and abandoned defense positions. They even looked into cowsheds, garages and packing houses, but found no army concentrations or weapons banned by the 1949 Israeli-Syrian armistice agreement. Israeli settlers in Gadot and Huleh pointed out to the UN observers Syrian tanks dug into positions in the defense area.

The survey was made in line with an agreement by both sides to permit UN inspection on both sides of the Israel-Syrian border to help ease tensions in the area.